COMMERCE >> David Hill former interim chief operating officer for the Central Basin Municipal Water District, has filed a claim against his former employer, alleging he was forced to retire because he authorized payments to Pacifica Services Co., a Pasadena engineering company now involved in lawsuits with Central Basin.

Central Basin’s board denied Hill’s claim Monday.

Samuel Jefferson Frazier III, Hill’s attorney, said Friday that his client, who worked for the district from 2006-13, will be filing a lawsuit against the district.

Hill was put on administrative leave in August. In October he was told he had two days to resign or he would be fired, Hill said. He chose to retire. Hill received a salary of $124,317.

Hill said he believes he was targeted because when he was the interim manager he authorized payment of three bills, totaling nearly $250,000, to Pacifica.

After Hill, who was the COO from January 2013 through April 2013, returned to his former position of water resources manager, the district sued Pacifica.

Central Basin’s lawsuit against Pacifica contends the company overbilled the district by more than $867,385 from July 2012 to June 2013. The district alleges $539,000 of that was mistakenly paid to Pacifica.

Pacific also has countersued the district, contending Central Basin owes the firm more than $265,000.

Hill said he was supposed to pay Pacifica.

“When I was interim (chief operating officer), I was working under the auspices of an ad hoc committee (of the board),” he said.

“They gave me direction on what do with all contracts,” he said. “Some were terminated immediately. Some were allowed to continue. One of those was Pacifica.”

“I’m unable to comment because this is potential litigation,” Perez said.

Hill’s claim adds another wrinkle to Central Basin’s legal problems.

The district already faces two lawsuits, one alleging sexual harassment and a second leaking of confidential information.

It also paid Chuck Fuentes, whom Hill succeeded as CEO, $50,000 to settle his wrongful termination complaint. Ron Beilke, who was fired as assistant general manager, also has filed a claim against the district.

“You have to look at this in light of the recent decision by their insurance carrier to drop them,” said Gil Aguirre, a San Gabriel Valley open-government activist. “This is just another example that (Central Basin) is dysfunctional. I don’t know the merits of Hill’s claim but it should be concerning when a public agency is getting sued every month.”

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Central Basin claims Hill paid Pacifica after he received a $250 donation from Mike Camacho, senior vice president for Pacifica. The money was paid to Hill’s 2008 campaign for Cucamonga Valley Water District Board of Directors.

Hill said that allegation is false.

“Mike’s a neighbor of mine,” Hill said. “He lives in Rancho Cucamonga. He gave it to me because we knew each other. And the fact of the matter is that this was in 2008. I wasn’t even a senior manager then and (then) I had no authority over his contract.”

Hill also denied another allegation that he supposedly secretly collaborated to alter contracts.